Isaias Wolf Hellman (October 3, 1842 – April 9, 1920) was a German-born American banker and philanthropist, and a founding father of the University of Southern California. Early life Hellman was born in Reckendorf, Bavaria on October 3, 1842. He was one of three sons and four daughters, born to German Jewish parents Wolf Hellmann (1815–1884), a master weaver, and Sara Fleischmann (1823–1888). His siblings included brothers Herman and James W. Hellman. Their four sisters were Bertha, Flora, Regina, and Ernestine (who married a wealthy cattle merchant named Schloss). He was educated in German public schools and at the College of Marktbreit in Bavaria. This school was founded by Solomon Wohl in 1849. Career Hellman and his brother Herman left Hamburg on the steamer Hammonia, arriving in the Los Angeles, California on May 14, 1859, to join their cousins. Their brother James later emigrated to Los Angeles as well. Isaias went to work as a clerk in his cousins' stationery and cigar store, and learned to speak Spanish. The store operated as Hellman and Bro. and sold cigars and stationery, and was located at the corner of Main and Temple streets. Isaias joined the business in 1855, brother Sam in 1857, and the partnership was dissolved January 26, 1862. In 1865, Hellman bought the dry goods store of Adolph Portugal at the corner of Main and Commercial that Portugal had opened in 1854. This is approximately the current location of the Triforium sculpture on the Los Angeles Mall. Some sources state that he opened a dry goods store in April 1865 "on the Baker Block". The Baker Block did not open until 1875, however is one short city block north of Hellman's store at the southeast corner of Main and Commercial streets. In 1870, Hellman erected the Hellman Block at the northwest corner of Los Angeles Street and (a street that no longer exists) Commercial Street. Banking Hellman became Los Angeles' first banker almost by accident. As a courtesy, he stored his customers' gold and valuables in a safe. One day, Hellman got into an altercation with a drunk customer who had been coming in and out of the store, withdrawing gold each time from a pouch stored in the safe. When the man sobered up, he was angry to discover he had spent most of his funds, and lunged at Hellman. That interaction prompted Hellman to stop his informal